Maruti picks up pace, sales grow 20% in July

Maruti Suzuki said its domestic sales increased by 22.5 per cent last month to 1,10,405 units, as against 90,093 units in July previous year.

The company’s domestic sales rose by 22.5 percent at 110,405 units.

Of the total, the company has sold 91,602 units of its passenger cars during last month, up by 25.9% as against 72,782 units in July 2014. Creta was launched on July 21.

This is the second most high-pitched monthly sales expansion in the existing fiscal year.

Sales of Tata Motors’ passenger vehicles increased 13 per cent, though sales of the company’s utility vehicles declined by a sharp 24 per cent. Growth in sales of passenger vehicles was driven by the Zest, Bolt and GenX Nano.

Another Japanese auto manufacturer Honda Cars India registered sales growth of 18 percent during July.

Two and three-wheeler maker TVS Motor closed last month with two percent growth in volumes as compared to July 2014.

The Ertiga MPV continues to do well, selling the bulk of the 6,916 units in July (clubbed with advance shipments of the S-Cross to Maruti dealers).

Analysts expect sales to improve and sustain in the year with new launches and a good monsoon.

Abdul Majeed, partner at PriceWaterhouseCoopers said, “OEMs with good portfolio in the small vehicle segment and good penetration in the rural market have grown significantly”. “A good monsoon across large parts of the country, a cut in fuel prices, the central bank’s coming monetary policy review, new launches and festive season demand could well help the Indian automobile industry grow this financial year”.

Indo-Japanese joint venture (JV) Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) sold 12,070 units in July 2015 compared to 11,921 units, registering a one percent growth in the domestic market. “The tremendous response for Creta, i20 Active and Elite i20 showcases customers’ increasing preference for game-changer products”, said Rakesh Srivastava, senior vice-president (sales and marketing), Hyundai. “Scooters sales grew by 10 percent to 69,626 units and motorcycles registered sales of 77,397 units in July 2015, down 4 percent over a year-ago period”, said the company in its filing to the exchange. The Ciaz premium sedan sold 2,099 units but the car’s sales seem to be slowing down over the past few months.